title: Evaluation of the improved three-dimensional resolution of a synchrotron radiation computed tomograph using a micro-fabricated test pattern.
abstract: A micro test pattern prepared by focused ion beam milling was used to evaluate the three-dimensional resolution of a microtomograph at the BL20B2 beamline of SPring-8. The resolutions along the direction within the tomographic slice plane and perpendicular to it were determined from the modulation transfer functions. The through-plane resolution perpendicular to the tomographic slice was evaluated to be 8 microm, which corresponds to the spatial resolution of two-dimensional radiographs. In contrast, the in-plane resolution within the slice was evaluated to be 12 microm. Real-space interpolation was performed prior to the tomographic reconstruction, giving an improved in-plane resolution of 8.5 microm. However, the 8 microm pitch pattern was resolved in the interpolated slice image. To reflect this result, another resolution measure from the peak-to-valley difference plot was introduced. This resolution measure gave resolution limits of 7.4 microm for the in-plane direction and 6.1 microm for the through-plane direction. The three-dimensional test pattern along with the interpolated reconstruction enables the quantitative evaluation of the spatial resolution of microtomographs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Biochemistry, School of Engineering, Tokai University, Kitakaname 1117, Hiratsuka, Kanagawa 259-1292, Japan. ryuta@tokai-u.jp
authors.forename: Ryuta
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mizutani
authors.forename: Akihisa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Takeuchi
authors.forename: Kentaro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Uesugi
authors.forename: Yoshio
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Suzuki
mesh_terms: D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000295:instrumentation*; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000295:instrumentation*; D008904:Miniaturization; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D017356:Synchrotrons / Q000295:instrumentation*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*